Frequently Asked Questions

In-Home Lead Testing for Residents

The Town of Wellesley participates in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) monitoring program. As part of this program, we collect water samples from 30 or more representative homes throughout town during each required monitoring period to ensure the public water system meets all state and federal lead standards.  The results of these tests can be found in our Consumer Confidence Report.  

In addition, the Town participates in free lead testing at schools and certain public facilities, in coordination with MassDEP.

At this time, the Town does not offer free in-home lead testing for individual residences outside of these required monitoring programs.

Residents who would like to have their home’s drinking water tested for lead may do so by using a MassDEP-certified drinking water laboratory. Certified labs can provide sampling bottles, instructions, pricing, and interpretation of results. A current list of certified laboratories is available on this webpage.

Testing is optional and at the homeowner’s expense, but it can provide useful information—particularly for homes with older plumbing or unknown service line materials.

Click here for a list of DEP certified labs.

A water service line is the piping between the main water line in the street and a  building. The piping typically has a section from the main to the curb box (corp-to-curb) that is owned by the Town and a section from the curb box to the building (curb-to-structure) that is owned by the property owner. 

The EPA recently directed all water utilities in the United States to prepare an inventory of all water service line materials, for both the customer-owned portion and the town-owned portions of the service line pipe. The EPA’s regulations are intended to improve decrease the risk of lead exposure by identifying lead service lines and expediting their removal from drinking water systems nationwide.

The Town of Wellesley is proactively developing a comprehensive inventory of our entire distribution network.  We are employing a range of methods to investigate and verify service line materials, including a review of historical records and field investigations from test pits.

Under the new regulations, public water systems are required to notify customers served by a service line that has been classified as lead, galvanized-requiring replacement or unknown within 30 days of submitting their initial inventory. 

If you have received such a letter, it has been determined that we do not have complete information about the service line material that delivers water to your property. This does not mean that we believe your service line is made of lead, but rather records do not exist, or have not been located yet, that confirms its material. We will continue efforts to identify and verify every service line throughout our entire water distribution system and update the inventory as data is collected.  

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Galvanized service lines are steel pipes that have been dipped in a protective zinc coating to prevent corrosion and rust. Galvanized piping was commonly installed in older homes and was used as an alternative to lead pipes for water supply lines.

Galvanized lines that are or were downstream of a lead source such as a lead service line can contribute to lead in drinking water by capturing lead particles released from upstream sources. The lead can be released into the drinking water through water quality changes or disturbances of these pipes.

Under the new regulations, galvanized service lines that are or may have previously been downstream of a lead service line are classified as "galvanized-requiring replacement." Public water systems are required to notify customers served by a service line that has been classified as lead, galvanized-requiring replacement or unknown.

It may be that the material used to construct your service line has already been determined as non-lead through the town’s review of records or field verification process. Your neighbor’s service line may still be classified as unknown or has been determined to be a lead or galvanized-requiring replacement service line.

Under the new regulations, public water systems are not required to provide letters to properties determined to have non-lead service lines are not required. 

The revised rule requires the town to classify the entire service line as "unknown" if the material of at least one of the service line segments, the town-owned or the customer-owned, is unknown. Until now, we have not been required to have records on the customer’s side of the meter. We are actively working to obtain information about all service lines in our networks using a range of methods to investigate and verify service line materials, including a review of historical records and field investigations from test pits. Please assist our data collection by using the QR code previously noted to submit a photo of your service line material inside your home.

While the town is responsible for any lead service line from the water main to the curb box (see diagram) the town is not responsible for the service line from the curb box to your home.  However, because of the dangers to human health that lead presents, if it is determined that you have a lead service line the town will work with you to remove and replace it free of charge.

While the risk of exposure to lead from drinking water is extremely low in Wellesley, we believe that our customers should still be aware of these risks, and how to reduce the risk of exposure regardless of where their drinking comes from.

Lead can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead exposure via drinking water can negatively impact health across all age groups. Young children, infants, and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. Children of women exposed to lead before or during pregnancy, and infants and children directly exposed to lead can experience decreases in IQ and attention span and new or exacerbated learning and behavioral problems. Adults may experience increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney or nervous system problems.

• Have your water tested.  Click here for a list of DEP certified labs.
• Always use fresh, cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.  Running the water for 30 seconds or more before using it can flush out contaminants that leach out of your pipes that could accumulate during long periods when the water is not in use.
• Never use hot water from the faucet for drinking or cooking, especially when making baby formula or food for infants. Hot water can leach more lead into water than cold.  Boiling water does not remove or reduce your potential exposure to lead.
• If you are still concerned about your drinking water, you can also use a water filter that is certified by the NSF or UL for lead removal.        Water filters can be added to existing plumbing after your meter, under your sink or used as a pitcher.        
• Be aware of places in your home where you may find lead. Some household items such as pottery, makeup, toys, and jewelry may contain lead. Lead paint has been illegal since 1978, but paint, soil, and dust from homes that still have lead paint are the most common source of exposure to lead. Make sure to wash your children's hands and toys often if they touch dirt or dust containing lead.

For additional information on how you can reduce your exposure to lead you can visit:

Lead in Drinking Water | Mass.gov

Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water | US EPA

List of DEP certified labs

Or please contact the Wellesley Board of Health.

For any questions related to the town’s drinking water please see the most recent copy of the town’s consumer confidence report or use the contact information provided below.

Email: dpw@wellesleyma.gov

Phone: 781-235-7600 X3355

Federal regulations require public water systems to:

• Identify the material of both the public and private portions of every water service line
• Notify customers of the current status of that information
• Clearly communicate when additional verification or replacement may be needed

These letters are informational and part of a required inventory process.

If Your Letter Says “Galvanized Requiring Replacement”

This means:

• Your service line includes galvanized metal piping
• While galvanized pipe itself is not lead, it can absorb and release lead if it was ever connected to lead plumbing in the past
• Under federal rules, these lines are classified as “Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR)”
• In some cases, a GRR letter may also indicate that the material of the public-side service line has not yet been fully verified.  If after investigation, the public side of your service is deemed to be non-lead your service line may not need replacement.

Important notes:

• This classification does not mean lead has been found in your water
• It reflects a precautionary designation required by the EPA
• Replacement is recommended to ensure long-term water quality protection

This means:

• The Water Department does not yet have enough documentation or field verification to confirm the service line material
• Older records may be incomplete, or access may not yet have been available

What happens next:

• The Town will continue record review, inspections, and field verification
• Property owners may be contacted in the future to help confirm materials
• No immediate action is required unless you are contacted directly

No.

At this time:

• No lead service lines have been identified in the Wellesley water system
• No letters are being sent stating that a service line is made of lead

The inventory process is ongoing, but based on extensive records, inspections, and historical construction standards, the Town does not believe lead service lines exist in Wellesley.

If you are a tenant:

• Your landlord may receive this letter on your behalf
• The letter is meant to be shared with occupants
• The notice is informational and does not indicate an emergency